Various chemical anticancer drugs are known. Also known is that most have a range of unwanted side effects. Such side effects of the known chemical anticancer drugs are generally due to non-selective action, e.g., their toxicity to normal cells. Various herbal drugs and medicines, as treatments or potential treatments for cancer as well as a range of other conditions, are also known. Uses and potential uses of various ones of such herbal drugs and medicines have received additional attention in recent years as a potentially advantageous alternative for chemotherapy treatments. However, a significant problem with various herbal medicines is their slow action in treating an ailment.
For example, silymarin, a known standardized extract obtained from seeds of Silybum marianum, is used in treatment of liver diseases of varying origins. A primary antioxidant substance and main biological active compound of silymarin is silibinin. As another example, glycyrrhizic acid is the active principal aglycone of glycyrrhizin, which is the main active ingredient of Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) roots. There is known interest in glycyrrhizic acid for potential anti-inflammatory activity, direct and indirect antiviral activity, and anti-cancer activity. However, glycyrrhizic acid and silibinin have a low solubility in water, and therefore exhibit poor bioavailability.
Liposomes are a known drug delivery system. According to known techniques, liposomes can consist of lipid bilayers with an inside water phase, and can encapsulate both water soluble and lipophilic drugs. However, known liposome techniques have various shortcomings, including instability and insufficient loading efficacy
Accordingly, in the field of liposomes, there is a need for increased efficiency and targeting of the drugs to the desired cells.